The subject matter of the present invention relates generally to bumpers for automobiles and other motor vehicles, and in particular relates to an auxiliary push bumper which is attached to the original bumper of the vehicle and spaced in front of such original bumper to prevent damage to the vehicle when it pushes another vehicle. Police vehicles may use such push bumpers because they are frequently called upon to push other vehicles when they are stuck or when the police vehicle is chasing a criminal suspect's vehicle. The auxiliary push bumper of the preset invention may be made of several extruded aluminum sections so that it is strong, lightweight and easily repaired when one section is damaged. Preferably, the auxiliary push bumper is clamped to the original bumper of the vehicle by brackets attached to a pair of bumper guards fastened to the opposite ends of a center section of such push bumper. Also, in one embodiment, two side sections of the push bumper are secured at their inner ends to the bumper guards and are fixed at their outer ends to the frame of the vehicle to provide a strong auxiliary bumper assembly. The auxiliary push bumper may be provided with additional lights including a pair of side lights mounted on the bumper guards which transmit light beams from the sides of the vehicle and a pair of front lights mounted on the center section of the push bumper which transmit light beams from the front of the vehicle.
Previously, an auxiliary bumper has been proposed as an impact protector apparatus for an automobile in U.S. Pat. No. 3,747,383 of T.L. Davis, issued Jul. 17, 1973. However, the auxiliary bumper of this patent employs two single-piece auxiliary bumpers which are positioned outside of the original front and rear bumpers. Each auxiliary bumper is attached between a pair of bumper guards which are welded to the ends of a pair of longitudinal structural members that extend parallel to the automobile frame on each side of the automobile and are bolted to the frame. However, unlike the present invention, Davis does not provide a lightweight auxiliary push bumper formed of extruded aluminum in several bumper sections which are joined by threaded fasteners to the bumper guards to enable removal of a bumper section when it is damaged. In addition, the bumper guards of the Davis auxiliary bumper are not clamped to the original bumper in the manner of the present invention. Instead, Davis employs two elongated structural members extending the length of the automobile which are bolted to the frame and have u-shaped ends which are fastened to the two auxiliary bumpers and extend below and outwardly of both the front and rear original bumpers. This auxiliary bumper of Davis would be heavy, expensive to manufacture or repair, and is difficult to install on an automobile or other vehicle.
U.S. Design Pat. Des No. 395,416 of Shklyaver, issued Jun. 23, 1998, also shows a push bumper for mounting on the original bumper of a vehicle apparently by clamping the push bumper to the original bumper of the vehicle. However, unlike the present invention, the push bumper of Shklyaver does not provide an auxiliary bumper of extruded aluminum sections for a light weight and easily-repairable bumper in the manner of the present invention. In addition, the push bumper is not fixed to the frame of the vehicle, but is only clamped to the original bumper so that it is not as strong.
U.S. Design Pat. Des No. 300,128 of Brennan, issued Mar. 7, 1989, shows a vehicle bumper having a pair of bumper guards mounted on a lower main push bumper and supporting an upper tubular brush guard bumper section which extends between the bumper guards and is attached at its opposite ends to the top of the main push bumper. This push bumper apparently is not an auxiliary push bumper that is mounted on an original bumper, but instead is used as a replacement for the original bumper of the vehicle which would be extremely expensive to install and repair.
As shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,574,406 of Wessells, issued Apr. 13, 1971, it is old to provide the original bumper of a vehicle with a resilient rubber facing strip which is secured to such bumper by a slot in such strip. The bumper is formed of two sections, including a top member and a bottom member of stamped metal which are welded together. Thus, such bumper differs from that of the present invention in that it is not made of extruded aluminum and is not constructed in three sections which are joined together by fastening them to inserts in a pair of bumper guards so that a damaged section can be repaired easily by removal and replacement of such section, in the manner of the present invention.